I feel like it's been years since I wrote my last blog entry, but at the same time it's like our trip will be over in the blink of an eye. The last month has been crazy; jam packed with incredible places, seeing old friends, making new ones, good experiences and the worst. Yes, this month we hit some all time highs, as well as some all time lows..
Let's start with the good!
Perth
The most accommodating, laid back, fun loving host (I'm talking about you Sim) let us stay at her house for a whole week! We showered, slept in a bed, made dinner in an oven, and laid on the couch under an airconditioner. Needless to say we were in heaven. Not only were our facilities and hosts top notch, we also visited some pretty cool places in the city and surrounding areas.
For a relaxing swim and a view of the sculpture exhibition, Cottesloe did not disappoint. For a refreshing beer and one of the best meals I've had so far, Little Creatures Brewery goes highly recommended. For good vibes all round, I'd have to say my favourite place was Rottnest Island where the snorkelling and beaches made up for the ridiculously priced sandwiches. I think Luke might disagree because he spent most of the day running around trying to find his speedos while I sat at the bar, and he never managed to recover them.
We also caught up with a huge number of people, including some of the friends we had made on our travels. It's amazing the bond you create with people you literally spend 24-48 hours with, just because you're both camping and share stories that only those on the road can understand. It is truly one of the best parts of traveling.
-> Rottnest Island - Faye's Bay
-> Rottnest Island
-> Perth - Serpentine Falls
-> Perth - Kings Park
The Turquoise Coast
After a week in a house we were actually missing Clancy and our rooftop tent and were keen to get back into the swing of camping. Luke's sister, Chloe, graced us with her presence and joined us for this fun section of the coast. This was great because it not only meant someone else to talk to, an extra poker player, and someone else to rotate through dish duty, but it also made us go to some amazing places we never would have ventured to on our own.
One such place was Hi Vallee. This inland property is 2000 hectares, with 1/5 sectioned off and reserved as a native gardener's dream. Safe to say Chloe liked it. The owners, Don and Joy, were some of the loveliest people we've met, with so much knowledge on native flowers that they've written their own book. We shared a great night with them in their kitchen, with Chloe, Don and Joy swapping stories and information that sounded like another language, whilst Luke and I drank a bottle of Don's red wine.
-> Cervantes Lobster Shack
-> The Pinnacles, Cervantes
-> Hi Vallee Farm
-> Sandy Cape, Jurien Bay
-> Stockyard Gully Caves
Geraldton and Kalbarri
After dropping Chloe off at the bus stop to head back to Perth, we continued our adventure northwards. The plan was to stop in at Dongara for some groceries before heading to a free campsite nearby. Unbeknownst to us, this particular supermarket, as well as the majority of the town, closes at 2pm. At 3pm we found ourselves outside the closed supermarket in a fair predicament, with absolutely no food and not enough stamina to drive the 150km to the next town. For the first time on our trip, Luke attempted to dumpster dive while I went to investigate the only thing open; the newsagent. Thankfully Luke returned with nothing and I came across the 'emergency stockpile' of tinned spaghetti and baked beans. Now that was a meal to remember.
The next few days saw us exploring the town of Geraldton, an artsy seaside town with some cool cafes and where we met the wonderful family, the Doopas. Their son, Mitch, is also traveling Australia with his girlfriend and a troopy (it's the thing to do) and we stumbled across them on our travels. Mitch insisted that we stay with his family whilst in Geraldton and it's something we will always be grateful for. David and Kyla put us up in their home, cooked us dinner, and then gave us the keys to their beach house in Kalbarri which was our next destination.
Kalbarri far exceeded my expectations. Luke surfed every morning at what I'm sure he would describe as one of the best surf spots in Australia, we hired kayaks and went exploring down the river, and also visited some absolutely stunning gorges in the National Park. Unfortunately the famous "Nature's Window" within the N.P was closed while we were there, so that just means we will have to come back!
-> Pink Lake, Port Gregory
-> Jakes Point, Kalbarri
Shark Bay
Now this is where the trip became interesting.. We had heard a bit about Steep Point "the most western point of Australia" and thought we should surely tick that off the list. We left Kalbarri early and drove the 350km to Shelter Bay, a campsite right next to Steep Point, and what we soon realised was the worst road in Australia. The last 80km, which took us over three hours, were pure hell, with our tyres deflated to 15psi, soft steep sand dunes and huge corrugations. I was holding on for dear life, the entire time picturing our imminent death. When we finally made it to the campground, which we probably would have found beautiful under different circumstances, it was blowing a gale and we didn't get a wink of sleep. The next morning we drove the last 10km (which took us an hour) out to the point, took our photo and got the hell out of there. It was the first time that we had regretted doing something on our trip.
After another nightmare journey leaving the point, we checked ourselves in to the Monkey Mia RAC resort with a bed, bathroom and airconditioner. It took us a while to recover from the emotional and physical exhaustion that was Steep Point, and what better place to do it?! This little piece of paradise is where they feed the dolphins every morning and we had a great time relaxing by the pool and making friends with all the backpackers that volunteer there. On our last morning, Luke was picked out of about 100 people to get in the water and feed 'Piccolo', an experience we will always remember.
-> Steep Point (Never Again!)
-> Monkey Mia
Red Bluff
We were still slightly traumatised from Steep Point, and although Monkey Mia had helped to get us back on the road, this place made us remember what the whole trip was about. As we drove into a wide valley, we could see the huge rocky bluff in the distance, completely encompassing the valley and protecting the pristine water underneath. It was magic. We spent nearly a whole week here, and although there's not much around (a few drop toilets, that's it) we never found ourselves wanting to leave; fishing, swimming, surfing, hiking, and just generally relaxing, this place was all time. I'm sure Luke could go on and on about how perfectly mechanical the waves were and the amazing swell we had, but I'm just going to say that this is now our favourite place in Australia.
-> Our Campsite @ Red Bluff
-> The Road in to Red Bluff
-> Red Bluff Campgrounds
-> Dinner!
-> Resident Eagle
-> Sunrise from the Bluff
-> Perfect Waves Everyday
After stopping in at the stunning Coral Bay we are currently traveling up the Ningaloo Reef, towards Exmouth where we're booked in for our swim with the whale sharks. Stay tuned to see if we survive!
Love Luke and Maddy
(Chapter 4 written by Maddy)